Among interactive pet toys, especially those pet toys intended to allow humans to interactively play with their pets, there exists a specific type of pet toy known as a “teaser.” In its simplest form, a teaser consists of a wand upon an end of which is affixed a play object. A teaser is intended as an interactive toy for cats and other animals that instinctively hunt and pounce upon small prey, such as mice and birds.
When using a teaser, the human would shake the wand. This would cause the play object to bounce and bob enticingly before the pet. This triggers the pet's instincts, and the pet pounces upon and/or otherwise attacks the play object.
Ideally, the motion of the play object should emulate the motion of the animal's natural prey. Since the natural prey of cats and other similar-sized predators are mice, birds, lizards, and the like, it is desirable that the motion of the teaser emulates the movements of such small prey animals. Such emulation would maximally trigger instinctive responses and produce optimal interactive play for both the human and the pet.
The natural movement of small prey consists of relatively rapid short smooth motions and very rapid jerky motions. These motions are produced as the prey changes location and moves in place, respectively. In order to emulate these motions, the human would have to move the teaser wand so that the play object moves relatively rapidly over a broad area while very quickly jerking about.
The play object is typically firmly affixed to the end of the wand. In this case, the emulation of both the broader and the quicker motions is dependent solely upon the movement imparted to the wand by the human. To provide maximum stimulation, excessive and complex wrist action is required. This wrist action is both tiring and potentially injurious.
In some cases, the play object is loosely attached to the end of the wand. In this case, it is intended that the wand imparts the desired broader movements, while the movement of the play object on the end of the wand imparts the quicker movements. Unfortunately, a loosely attached play object tends to flop. This flopping is a poor emulation of the quicker movements at best, and tends to emulate injured or diseased prey at worst. A flopping prey may therefore arouse suspicion in the pet that the prey is sick. Many hunting animals instinctively avoid sick prey. A loosely attached, floppy teaser, therefore, produces a less than optimal effect.
The desired dual-action motion may be achieved through the use of a spring teaser, i.e., a teaser where the play object is attached to a spring or wire. With a spring teaser, the human may impart the broader motions, while the spring allows the play object to bob about and therefore imparts the quicker motions. The problem with spring teaser is one of control. Since the prey object bobs about on the end of the spring, it is virtually impossible for the human to determine where the play object will be at any given instant. This lack of control may result in the play object striking the pet unexpectedly. Such a strike may easily be interpreted by the pet as an attack. This in turn may cause the pet to become wary, and lessen the enjoyment for both the pet and the human.
What is desirable, therefore, is a teaser where the human imparts the broader movements through the wand while the play object is simultaneously free to make controlled quick movements about the end of the wand. Such a teaser would provide a maximal emulation of the movements of small prey without requiring undue care or effort on the part of the human, and without posing a risk of injury or displeasure to the pet.